Drilling apparatus



Aug. 26, 1958 D. ROBBINS 2,849,212

DRILLING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 10, i956 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. Davis Robbin:

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DRILLING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 10, 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 m T5 w lL w .0 mm W W O .m r .V. V /AT o A 3 j "m D Y I||||! r on. n B a 9 Q o A 1958 D. ROBBINS 2,849,212

DRILLING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 10, 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 lffarneys Aug. 26, 1958 D. ROBBINS 2,349,212

DRILLING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 10, 1956 V 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. Davis R. ebb/n.

K'I'i'onreys United States Patent ce DRILLING APPARATUS Davis Robbins, IOneonta, Ala.

Application December ;;1956,?SerialiNo.f627 ,'-192 2 Claims. (Cl. 2'55-22) This invention relates to drilling apparatus and more particularly to means. for drilling holesdownwardly into the earth and is an improvement .over the drilling apparatus described and claimed in my co.-pending .appli- :cation, Serial No. 433,991, filed June 2, 1954, now Patent No. 2,781,185, and entitled Drilling Apparatus.

,An object of my invention is to provide'drilling apparatus embodying a vertical frame having a transmission .unit mounted for vertical movement along the frame and improved means for raising and lowering thetransmission .unit whereby the transmission unit moves downwardly as the drilling operation proceeds.

Another object of my invention is to provide drilling apparatus of the character designated in which. the vertical .frame'is mounted for pivotal movement intermediate its ends, together with improved means operatively connecting the transmission unit to a power unit whereby .the vertical .frame may be moved downwardly to collapsed position while the apparatus is being transferred from place to place. 4

,A still further object of my invention is to provide apparatus of the character designated which shall be durable and simple of construction, economical ofmanufacture and which is adapted for movement from place to place in a minimum of time and with aminimum of labor.

Apparatus embodying features of my invention is shown inpthe accompanying drawings forming a part of .this application, in which:

.Fig. .1 is an end elevational view, partly broken away and in section;

Fig. 2 .is a side 'elevational view with parts broken away and .in section;

-,Fig. 3 is a side elevational'view of the drilling apparatus, .partly :brokenaway and in :section;

Fig. 4 .is a side elevational view, partly broken away and insection, showing the drill rod section which carries the cutting .tool;

.Fig. .5 isa fragmental side elevational view, showing the driving connection between the power .unit and the drilling apparatus;

Fig. 6,is a fragmental sideelevational view, showing the driving connection to the vertically movable transmission unit;

Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken generally along .the line VII-VII of Fig. 6; and,

.Fig. 8 .is a diagrammatic view showing the sprocket and "chain drive for raising and lowering the vertically movable transmission unit.

Referring ,now to the drawings for a better understanding of my invention, I show a supporting vehicle10 having jacks 11 and 12 adjacent the rear end thereof and a jack 13 adjacent the forward end thereof for leveling thevehicle and the drilling apparatus whereby the 'drillrod extends in a vertical direction as the drilling proceeds. 'The jacks 11 and 12 are actuated by hydraulic cylinders 14 and 16 whilethe jack 13 is actuated 'by a hydraulic cylinder 17.

Patented Aug. 26, 1958 Mounted at each side of the vehicle frame 10 adjacent the rear end thereof are upstanding plate-like support members 18 and 19. Pivotally connected to the upper ends ofthe plate-like :support members 18 and 19 by means ofbr-ackets 21'and pivot pins 22 is a vertical frame indicated generally at 23. 'The vertical frame 23 comprises 'vertical channel members 24 and 26 which are connected atthe'tops-thereof by a cross member 27 and at their bottoms by a cross member 28. Secured to the upstanding channel members 24 and 26 adjacent the upperends thereof and projecting outwardly therefrom are brackets 29 and '3 1. Secured to the brackets 29 and 31 and "depending therefrom are vertical frame members 32 and 33. The lower ends of the frame members 32-and 33 are connected to the channel members 24 and 26 by cross members 34 and 36. Secured to the channel members 24 and 26 and the frame members 32 and 33 are horizontally extending plate members 37 and 38-which add rigidity tothe frame. Also, suitable braces -39-and 41 connect the frame members 32 and 33 to the plate members 37 and 38, as shown.

Mounte'don the inner surface of the vertical channel members 24 and 26 are vertically extending plate-like members 42 and 43 which serve as vertical guides for rollers 44-and 46, respectively. The rollers 44 and 46 are mounted at opposite sides of a transmission unit indicated-generally at 47. Also, as shown in Fig. 3, the rollers 44and 46 are mounted at both sides ofthe platelike guide members 42 and 43, thereby limiting the transmission .unit 47 to vertical movement along the guide members.

Mounted on'the cross member 27 are suitable bearings 48and 49 for supporting a shaft 51. Mounted adjacent each 'end of the shaft51 are sprockets 52 and 53. Suitable bearings54 and 56 are mounted adjacent the lower ends of .theframe members 32 and 33 for supporting a cross shaft 57 having sprockets 58 and 59 mounted adjacent each end thereof.

Mounted on the cross members 34 and 36 are upstanding fluid pressure operated cylinders 61 and 62 having '.piston xrods 63 and 64, respectively. Mounted adjacent the upper end of the pistonrods 63 and-64 are Ueshaped brackets 66 and'67, respectively. Mountedfor rotation between the legs of the .U-shaped bracket 66 on a short shaft member 68 are sprockets 69 and 71. 'In'like manner, mounted between the legs of the U-shaped bracket '67 on a shortshaft 72 .are sprockets 73 and 74.

Mounted LOX! .the transmission unit 47 andprojecting outwardly fromeach side thereof are upper and lower cross :members 76 and 7-7, respectively. Secured to opposite ends .of thecross member 76 by any suitable means suchas a bolt and nut connection are sprocket chains 78and 79 which pass upwardly over the sprockets 52-and53 .and then downwardly under their associated sprockets 69 and 74 and then upwardly to the members 29 and 31 where they are secured by any suitable means, such .as a bolt and nut connection 81.

Secured to opposite ends of the lowercross member 77 by :anysuitable means, such as a bolt and nut connection 82. are depending sprocket chains 83 and 84 which pass under the sprockets 58 and 59 and then pass upwardlyover their associated sprockets 71 and 73 and thendownwardly to a bracket 86 where the ends of the chains "83 and 84 are connected by any suitable means, such as a bolt and nut connection 87. It will thus .be seenthat by raising and lowering the movable sprockets 69-71 and 7374, the transmission unit 47 is lowered and raised, respectively.

Mounted rigidly adjacent each side of the frame 10 are .upwardly and forwardly extending brackets 88 and 89. Each pair of the'brackets are connected adjacent their upper ends by .a cross shaft 91. Pivotally connected to the cross shafts 91 adjacent opposite sides of the frame are pressure operated cylinders 92 and 93 having piston rods 94 which are pivotally connected as at 96 to brackets 97 mounted at each side of the vertical frames 23, as shown in Fig. 3. It will thus be seen that by actuating the fluid pressure operated cylinders 92 and 93, the vertical frame 23 may be pivoted about the shafts 22 whereby it is adapted for pivotal movement to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig, 2.

To hold the vertical frame 23 in its vertical or operating position, brace members 98 and 99 are pivotally connected at one end to suitable brackets 101 and 102 adjacent the upper end of the vertical frame 23. The other or forward ends of the brace members 98 and 99 are pivotally connected to clevis members 103 by means of removable pins 104, whereby the brace members 98 and 99 may be moved alongside and attached to the vertical frame 23, by any suitable means, as the vertical frame is moved to collapsed position.

Passing through the transmission unit 47 and mounted for rotation relative thereto is a hollow driving head 106 which is connected in driving relation with a polygonal shaft 107 that allows transmission unit 47 to move vertically relatively thereto. The upper end of the polygonal shaft 107 is mounted for rotation in a suitable bearing in the cross member 27 while the lower end thereof is connected to a transmission unit 108. The output shaft 109 of the transmission unit 108 is connected to a universal joint 111 having a splined sleeve 112 connected thereto. Mounted on the vehicle frame 10 is a power unit 113 which drives a shaft 114 through a belt and pulley connection 116, as shown in Fig. 2. One end of the shaft 114 is provided with splines 117 which engage the splined sleeve 112 whereby power is transmitted from the shaft 114 through the transmission unit 108 to the polygonal shaft 107 and thence to the transmission unit 47 and the driving head 106. Also, the spline connection between the shaft 114 and the sleeve 112 permits the shaft 114 to be disconnected from the sleeve 112 when the vertical frame is moved to the collapsed position, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2.

Mounted at the lower end of the driving head 106 is a female coupling 118 which is adapted to receive a male coupling 119 at the upper end of a hollow drill rod section indicated at 121. The lower end of the drill rod section is provided with a female coupling 122 for receiving the male coupling of a lower section 121 of the drill rod.

As shown in Fig. 4, the first drill rod section which enters the ground indicated at 123, is provided with a drill collar 124 having spiral flutes 126 thereon which cause the cuttings from the hole being bored to move in a spiral path about the outer surface of the drill rod and limits lateral shifting of the drill bit, thereby preventing excessive wear at the sides of the bit. The drill rod section 123 is provided with a female coupling at its lower end for receiving a threaded male coupling of a drill bit 127. Air under pressure is supplied to the hollow driving head 106 through a swivel joint 128 which communicates with a suitable compressor by means of a conduit 129.

Surrounding the drill rod sections adjacent the lower end of the vertical frame 23 is a discharge housing indicated generally at 131 which is substantially identical in construction and operation with the discharge housing described in my copending application mentioned hereinabove. The discharge housing 131 is provided with a sealing member 132 which slidably engages'the side of the drill rod sections whereby the compressed air and cuttings do not pass through the top of the housing but are discharged through a suitable outlet 133 provided in the side of the discharge housing.

Mounted alongside the vertical frame 23 is a vertical shaft 134, as shown in Fig. 1. Telescoping over and mounted for rotation about the vertical shaft 134 is a tubular member 136 having outwardly projecting arms 137 and 138 secured thereto adjacent the upper and lower ends thereof. The arms 137 and 138 carry a magazine 139 which is similar in construction and operation to the magazine described in my aforesaid co-pending application. The magazine 139 is mounted on a vertical shaft 141 which is mounted for rotation in suitable bearings 142 and 143. Due to the fact that the arms 137 and 138 are mounted for rotary movement about the vertical shaft 134 and the magazine is adapted for rotary movement in the bearings 142 and 143, each drill rod section may be positioned directly beneath the driving head 106 by merely rotating the arm members about the shaft 134 and then rotating the magazine in the bearings 142 and 143.

Mounted adjacent the lower ends of the vertical members 24 and 26 are inwardly extending brackets 144 and 146, respectively, which support vertical pins 147 and 148, respectively. Mounted for pivotal movement on the pins 147 and 148 are arcuate brackets 149 and 151 which carry rollers 152 and 153, respectively. Suitable handles 154 are provided on the arcuate members 149 and 151 whereby the arcuate members may be moved into and out of engagement with the drill rod section The rollers 152 and 153 are held out of engagement with the drill rod section while the sections are being added or removed and after the hole has been bored a distance to prevent lateral shifting of the drill rod section. During the initial drilling operation, the rollers are held in engagement with the drill rod section 123 and guide the drill rod section in the same manner as the arcuate guide members disclosed in my aforesaid co-pending application.

To support the drill rod sections 121 while the uppermost one is being removed I secure transverse pipe sections 156 to the walls of the drill rod sections adjacent the upper ends thereof. The pipe sections 156 connect opposite sides of the drill rod sections, there being suitable openings in the drill rod sections for receiving the pipe sections 156 as shown in Fig. 4. The pipe section 156 is joined to the walls of the drill rod section 121, or 123, as the case may be, by any suitable means, such as by welding whereby there is no escape of air as the air passes downwardly through the drill rod section.

Mounted on the cross member 28 by any suitable means, such as by welding is a sleeve member 157 which is in position to receive a suitable bar member which passes through the adjacent pipe section 156 to support the drill rod sections remaining in the hole being bored while the uppermost section is being removed.

A similar transverse pipe section 158 is provided adjacent the lower end of the drill rod sections for receiving a suitable bar, whereby the uppermost drill rod section may be held against rotation while the female section 118 of the driving head 106 is unscrewed from or screwed onto the male coupling 119. Preferably, the pipe sections 156 and 158 are positioned at substantially right angles to each other, as shown, in Figs. 1 and 4. The female sections are screwed onto and unscrewed from the male sections by rotating the driving head 106 in reverse directions.

As shown in Fig. 1, the U-shaped brackets 66 and 67, which support the sprockets 6971 and 73-74, carry rollers 70 which engage opposite edges of vertical guide members 70a. The guide members 70a are connected to the vertical channel members 24 and 26 by suitable spacers 70b. The rollers 70 thus limit the U-shaped brackets 66 and 67 to vertical movement parallel to the channel members 24 and 26.

From the foregoing description, the operation of my improved drilling apparatus will be readily understood. The apparatus is transported to the area where the holes are to be bored and the vertical frame 23 is moved from the dotted line position shown in Fig. 2 to the solid line position by the fluid pressure operated cylinders 92 and 93. The vertical frame 23 is then locked in the upright position by attaching the forward ends of the brace members 98 and 99 to the bracket 103 by means of thepin 104. The jacks 11, 12 and 13 are then lowered into engagement with the ground and the vehicle is leveled by raising or lowering the jacks as required.

With the vehicle 10 leveled, the arms 137 and 138 carrying the magazine 139 are swung around and the magazine is rotated in the bearings 142 and 143 to position the drill rod section 123 beneath the driving head 106. The driving head 106 is driven in a direction to screw the female coupling 118 onto the male coupling at the upper end of the drill rod section 123. The armate guide members 149 and 151 are moved into engagement with the outer surface of the drill rod section. A shallow hole is then drilled into the ground by driving the head 106 through the medium of the transmission .unit 47, polygonal shaft 107, transmission unit 108,

shaft 114, belt and pulley connection 116 and the power unit 113. After a shallow hole is drilled, the guide members 149 and 151 are moved out of engagement with the drill rod section 123 and the section is raised by actuating the pressure operated cylinders 61 and 62 in a direction to lower the double sprockets 69-71 and '73-74, whereby the chains 78 and 79 pass upwardly over the sprockets 52 and 53 and the chains 83 and 84 are pulled upwardly by the transmission unit 47. The discharge housing 131 is then positioned over the hole, as shown in Fig. l and the drill rod section 123 is passed downwardly through the sealing member 132.

The drill rod section 123 is lowered by introducing fluid'under pressure into the cylinders 61 and 62 whereby the piston rods 63 and 64 are raised, thus causing thechains 83 and 84 to pass under the sprockets 58 and 59 as the transmission unit 47 is lowered. The ends of the sprocket chains 78 and 79 adjacent the transmission unit 47 are pulled downwardly by the transmission unit as the piston rods 63 and 64 together with the double sprockets 69-71 and 73-74 are raised. The driving head 106 and the drill rod sections are then rotated by the power unit 113 in the manner described heretofore. When the upper pipe section 156 in the drill rod section 123 moves to a position opposite the sleeve member 157, a suitable bar is placed through the sleeve member and the pipe section, thus holding the drill rod section against rotation. The driving head 106 is then rotated in a reverse direction to unscrew the female coupling 118 from the male coupling 119 of the drill rod section 123. The transmission unit 47 is raised by lowering the piston rods 63 and 64 as described heretofore. The magazine 139 is swung around to position a drill rod section 121 beneath the driving head 106. The driving head is then rotated in a direction to screw the female coupling 118 thereof down onto the male coupling 119. The female coupling at the lower end of the drill rod section 121 is then screwed onto the male coupling at the upper end of the drill rod section 123 by rotating the driving head 106. The cylinders 61 and 62 are then actuated so as to raise the transmission unit 47 a slight distance whereby the rod may be removed from the pipe section 156. Continued rotary motion is then imparted to the drill rod section 121 until the pipe section 156 moves to a point opposite the sleeve 157, whereupon another drill rod section is added as described heretofore.

As the rotary drill bit 127 cuts into the earth, compressed air is introduced through the conduit 129 and flows downwardly through the driving head 106 and the hollow drill rod sections 121 and 123 thence out through the male coupling of the drill bit 127 where it picks up the cuttings from the hole being bored and conveys them upwardly about the outer surface of the drill rod section to the discharge housing 131 and the outlet 133 thereof.

To remove the drill rod sections from the drilled hole, the transmission unit 47 together with the drill rod sections are raised by actuating the cylinders 61 and 62 whereby the piston rods 63 and 64 are lowered. The bar is inserted through the sleeve 157 and the pipesection 156 of the second drill rod section 121 whereby it is-held against rotation and supported thereby. The female coupling at the lower end of the uppermost drill rod section '121 is unscrewed from the male coupling at the upper end of the second drill rod section by reversing the direction of rotation of the driving head 106. In the event the section 121 unscrews from the head 106 rather than from a subjacent section 121, a rod may be passed through the pipesection 158 and the head 106 is driven in a direction to secure the head firmlyto the section 121. Also, the subjacent section 121 may be unscrewed from the upper section 121 by placing rods in both adjacent pipe sections 156 and 158 and then moving the rods relative to each other. The magazine 139 is then swung around in position to receive the drill rod section which is attached to the driving head 106. A suitable bar is then placed through the pipe section 158 at the lower end of the drill rod section whereby the same is held against rotation while the driving head 106 is rotated in the reverse direction to unscrew the female coupling 118 from the male coupling 119. The magazine is then swung outwardly and the transmission 'unit 47 is lowered by actuating the cylinders 61 and 62 in a direction to raise the piston rod 63 and 64 to place the female coupling of the driving head 106 into engagement with the male coup-ling of the next drill rod section. The driving head 106 is then driven in a direction to screw the female coupling 118 thereof onto the male coupling of the next drill rod section. The transmission unit 47 together with the driving head 106 and the drill rod sections are then raised by actuating the cylinders 61 and 62 in the manner described heretofore. The next drill rod section is then removed in the same manner as thefirst drill rod section. This procedure is continued until all of the drill rod'sections are removed from the hole and placed in the magazine 139.

With all of the drill rod sections removed from the hole, the drill bit 127 is passed upwardly through the sealing member 132 and the discharge housing 131 is re moved and transferred to a new location where a hole is to be bored. The jacks 11, 12 and 13 are then raised and the apparatus is transferred by the vehicle 10 to a new location. Where it is desired to transport the vehicle a long distance, the vertical frame 23 may be lowered to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 2 by actuating the pressure operated cylinders 92 and 93 whereby the piston rods 94 thereof are lowered.

While I have described the shaft 107 as being poly onag, it will be apparent that a splined shaft could be use From the foregoing it will be seen that I have devised an improved apparatus for drilling holes downwardly into the earth. By providing double sprocket wheels mounted at the upper ends of vertically movable piston rods, together with sprocket chains which pass over upper and lower sprockets in the manner set forth hereinabove, the apparatus is of a minimum height and the transmission unit may be raised and lowered directly by the sprocket chain, thus resulting in apparatus which is simple of construction and operation. Also, by mounting the vertical frame intermediate its ends for pivotal movement relative to the vertical frame, the apparatus may be lowered to inoperative position by merely disconnecting the brace members 98 aud 99 and actuating the pressure operated cylinders 92 and 93.

While I have shown my invention in but one form, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited but is susceptible of various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit thereof, and I desire, therefore, that only such limitations shall be placed thereupon as are specifically set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. Drilling apparatus for drilling holes downwardly into the earth comprising a vertical frame, vertical guideways in the frame, a polygonal rotary driving shaft mounted to rotate in the frame and carried thereby, means for rotating said driving shaft, a transmission unit mounted for vertical movement in the guideways, means connecting the transmission unit in driving relation with the polygonal shaft, a hollow drill rod adapted to convey air from an air pressure source downwardly to clear the hole being bored of cuttings, a hollow drill bit connected to the lower end of the drill rod, means detachably connecting the drill rod to and driving the same from the transmission unit, a discharge housing for said cuttings surrounding the drill rod adjacent the lower end of the vertical frame, upper and lower sprockets mounted for rotation adjacent the top and bottom respectively, of said vertical frame, a pair of sprockets mounted for vertical movement along said frame between said upper and lower sprockets, a first sprocket chain connected at one end to said transmission and passing over said upper sprocket and under one sprocket of said pair of sprockets with the other end of said first chain secured to the vertical frame adjacent said upper sprocket, a second sprocket chain connected at one end to said transmission and passing under said lower sprocket and over the other sprocket of said pair of sprockets with the other end of said second chain secured to said frame above said lower sprocket, a fluid pressure operated cylinder mounted above the lower sprocket and connected to said pair of sprockets for raising and lowering the same, an upwardly projecting piston rod for said cylinder, a U-shaped bracket at the upper end of said piston rod, a transverse shaft extending between the legs of said U-shaped bracket and carrying said pair of sprockets, and said vertical frame being mounted for pivotal movement intermediate its ends.

2. Drilling apparatus for drilling holes downwardly into the earth comprising a vertical frame, a pair of vertical guideways in the frame, a vertically extending, polygonal rotary driving shaft mounted to rotate in the frame and carried thereby, means for rotating said driving shaft, a transmission unit mounted for vertical movement between the guideways, means connecting the transmission unit in driving relation with the polygonal shaft and allowing vertical movement relative to said shaft, a hollow drill rod adapted to convey air from an air pressure source downwardly to clear the hole being bored of cuttings, a hollow drill bit connected to the lower end of the drill rod, means detachably connecting the drill rod to and driving the same from the transmission unit, a discharge housing for said cuttings surrounding the drill rod adjacent the lower end of the vertical frame, an upper and a lower sprocket mounted for rotation adjacent each side of said vertical frame, a pair of intermediate sprockets mounted for vertical movement between said upper and lower sprockets on each side of said vertical frame, upwardly extending sprocket chains connected at one of their ends to opposite sides of said transmission unit with each chain passing over its associated upper sprocket and then under one sprocket of its associated pair of sprockets with the other ends of said' upwardly extending chains secured to said vertical frame subjacent said upper sprockets, downwardly extending sprocket chains connected at one of their ends to opposite sides of said transmission unit with each chain passing under its associated lower sprocket and then upwardly over the other sprocket of its associated pair of sprockets with the other ends of said downwardly extending sprocket chains secured to said vertical frame above said lower sprockets, said intermediate sprockets being mounted for rotation adjacent the upper ends of vertically movable piston rods which are actuated by vertically extending pressure operated cylinders, and said vertical frame being mounted for pivotal movement intermediate its ends.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

